Danielle Blake, Chief of Residential & Advocacy at MIAMI REALTORS, and Jessica Julian, a Douglas Elliman agent, discussed with Fox News Digital about two recent legal changes in Florida’s condominium market.
For many years, buying a condo in Florida was a faith-based gamble disguised by ocean vistas and palm trees. However, with the new year came a new trends and changing markets.
The introduction of a new obligatory digital transparency law and a significant court decision that provided developers with a so-called “poison pill” have dramatically altered the power dynamics in the Sunshine State of Florida.
“I think momentum is probably the best word that we have,” said MIAMI REALTORS Chief of Residential & Advocacy Danielle Blake also told Fox News Digital. Things have stabilized. We are gonna move forward… And again, the demand here in South Florida is so strong.”
Condo Markets See Changes as New Implemented Laws Set in Place
Under House Bill 913, the first major shift of 2026 includes provisions that require associations with 25 or more units to have a dedicated and secure digital portal where prospective buyers can view a condo’s bank statements, reserve details, and structural reports of the building.
“The click of the button, you can go in there, you can look at all these documents—including the budget—before you make that offer,” Blake said. “We’re huge proponents of it. It brings transparency and accountability, and we continue to promote that.”
According to REALTORS data, in Miami-Dade, 65% of the active inventory comprises older condominium buildings, and there has been a 21% year-over-year increase in sales within the $200,000 to $400,000 range, despite rising insurance costs and assessments. The specialists provided their insights on whether purchasers are displaying courage or merely showing a strong desire for a piece of paradise.
“It’s making the condo market more predictable. So condos that have delayed reserves or delayed issues with their building are seeing a lot more ongoing negotiations,” Julian noted, “where buildings that have thought ahead and have fully funded reserves, they have a competitive edge in the market. I am getting a lot of buyers that are eager to get down here in South Florida, but they’re very well-informed. They’re usually coming to me already doing their due diligence. They might already have the buildings that they’ve pinpointed. They’ve researched the other ones, found out which ones seem a little weak on those reserve studies.”
The second significant change in Florida’s condo market is the recent court decision regarding Biscayne 21. This ruling established a legal precedent that allows minority holdouts—comprising just 5% to 10% of owners—to prevent major redevelopment if the original declaration mandates unanimous consent.
“I would like to say it’s all because of our advocacy work. I mean, transparency is really important, but I think it has to do more with market conditions. And in South Florida, it’s a very hot market. Everybody wants to move here. The weather is absolutely beautiful. People want to take advantage of that. And so this is really the last affordable inventory that we have, and they are moving in,” Blake explained.
The second major change in Florida’s condo market is the recent court ruling concerning Biscayne 21. This ruling established a legal precedent that enables minority holdouts—who make up only 5% to 10% of owners—to block significant redevelopment if the original declaration requires unanimous consent.
“What they don’t realize, that I see behind the scenes, is these developers are scooping up other buildings that are more affordable to them, that make more sense in pencil,” Julian said. “And eventually, we’re gonna be oversaturated. There are a handful of buildings out there that still have language in their condo bylaws that say 75 to 80% can terminate a building… So developers are most likely going to do their due diligence and they’re going to be looking towards those buildings first.”
Keeping her advocacy role in mind, Blake also provided suggestions on what solutions realtors might advocate for to ensure that one or two residents cannot block an entire community from alleviating the financial burden of an older building: “Talk to local government, talk to the state. Everybody needs to be informed so they can come up with the right solution. And we would support that.”
“I think this case really highlights the importance of reading the government docs,” Blake noted. “It’s really important for developers to check that and know what you’re getting into before you incorporate that into your plan.”
Although both experts concur that the two significant alterations in Florida’s condo market underscore the importance of clear communication, Julian did provide one caution regarding the future market environment.
“Greed is kind of taking place a little bit. So [buyers] are holding back until they get many more millions of dollars [from developer offers],” Julian said. “But what they don’t realize, that I see behind the scenes, is these developers are scooping up other buildings that are more affordable to them, that make more sense in pencil. And eventually we’re gonna be oversaturated. So if they are waiting, thinking that they’re going to get the ultimate payout, they might want to rethink that.”
The post Condo Markets Experience ‘Major Shifts’ in 2026 first appeared on The MortgagePoint.
